Circuit-controller.



K. L. CURTIS. CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1910.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQFt.

KENNETH L. CURTIS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT AND J. M.

ANDERSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, I GOR- POB ATION 0F MAINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that. I, Krnvxn'rn L. Con'rrs, a citizen of the Unitedfitates, residing in Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Circuit-Controllers, of which the following description, in connection with. the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a circuitcontroller of that class having a movable contact member, which is located between two sets of stationary contact members and cooperates with both.

- The present invention has for its object to provide a circuit controller of the class de scribed, with means to compel the movable contact member to be moved apredetermined distance toward and preferably into engagement with one set of stationary contact members in order to enable it to be en gaged with the second set of stationary contact members. The means referred to may and. preferably will be made in the form of a stop, which is normally in the path oi? movement of the movable contact member and is laterally movable out of said path, by

means actuated by t movable contactmember. Provision is also made for automatically returning the movable contact member back into its normal position in case it is released by the operator after the said. member is engaged with the first of stationary contact members. These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a. circuit controller embodying this invention. Fig. 2, a side elevation with stop mechanism in position to permit the movable contact member to be engaged with the second set of stationary contacts. Fig. 3, a detail in side elevation showing the movable member engaged with the second set of contacts. Fig. 1, a detail in section on the line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5, a detail in section on the line 5-5, Fig. 2, and Fig. 6, a detail in section on the line 6-6, Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, a represents the center movable member or contact blade of a three pole double throw circuit controller embodying this invention. The movable member a is pivoted to upright arms I) secured to or forming part of a. terminal bar Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

Application filed. May 4, 1910. Serial No. 559,333.

or block d, which fastened to a base a of insulating material, such as slate, rubber,

etc. and is provided as herein shown with a threaded post f extended through the base and having secured to it a terminal clip y of any desired construction, to which one circui wire is secured. The movable lllClllr her a )PtlltltS with two sets of stationary contactmembers 10, 12, secured to the base 6 on opposite sides of the pivot for the movable member. The contact member 10 has secured to it a terminal clip 13, and the coin tact member 12 is connected asherein shown, to a terminal clip la by a removable fuse 15, which may and prefcralilly will be of the inclosed type. The parts of the circuit con- .troller as thus far described may be duplicated according to the particular circuit in which it is to be used, and in practice a circui't controller provided with three movable members a, which cooperate with three sets of contact members 10, 12. is especially adapted for controlling a three phase motor, the set. of contacts 10 being included in what may be termed the starting circuit for the motor and tho contacts 12 being included in what may be termed the working circuit for said motor, the starting circuit being of relatively lower voltage than the worl-ziug circuit, so as to enable the motor to be started up by connecting it to the starting circuit, before it is connected to the working circuit, and thereby avoid burning out or otherwise injuring the motor.

The present invention has for its object to provide means for compelling the operator to connect the motor in the low voltage circuit before it can be included in the high voltage circuit. To this end, a stop or device is interposed between the terminal or support for the center pivoted blade'or member a and the contact member 12 cooperating therewith and connected with the high voltage circuit, which device is normally in the path of movement of the said blade or memher and is such as to be engaged by said blade before the latter can engage the contact mei'nber 12, if it. is attempted to crmneet the motor with the high voltage circuit. The stop referred to, may be made as herein shown and comprises two upright spring metal arms 20 separated at their lower ends and secured to the opposite side of a block or bar 21 (see Figs. 1, l, 5 and 6) and having inwardly bent fingers 22 at their upper cease? 2 ofthtee ends, which are normally in contact, 7 (see Fig. 4-) and are designed to be eng god 5 by the blade or member. a, and 1". reveiit the l latter being engaged with the contact .lllfilll. bars 12. Q

Provision is made for moving the stop device laterally so as toseparate the fingers E2), sufficiently to enable the blade (.L to pass be-' tween them, and thereby enable the said blade to engage the contact members 12. For this purpose, I provide a device, herein shown; as a lever 25, which is pivoted at 26 to the arms 6 and is provided with an apm, having an upturned end 28, which is designed to be forced up between the fingers 22 so as to separate the same, (see Fig. 5),. and t c hold them separated until disengaged therefrom. The lever 25 is' provided as herein shown with an arm 30, which is designed to be actuated by the blade (L so as to force the upturned end :28 between the fingers In the present instance, the lever arm 30 is directly engaged by the arm 31 of a lever 3'2, which is turned in one direction by springs 33 and in the opposite direction by the blade (I, when the latter is turned. in the direction of the arrow Bl. toward the contact members 10. The. purpose of the spring actuated lever 32 is tg disengage the blade from the contact member 10 and move it back into its normal or open position shown in Fig, 1, and thereby.automatically open the low voltage circuit, in case the 0perator should'leave the blade a in. engagement with the contactmeinber 10 and tail. to throw the blade into contact with the nicmber 12. lin this manner injury to the low voltage circuit is avoided. After the low voltage circuit is closed and the motor is set in operation, the latter-can be connected, n the high voltage circuit, for at such lZlIIlOl the stop fingers 22 are separated, so as to no longer engage the blade a, which can now be turned down into engagement with the contact member 12 as represented in Fig. 3. The blade a on its "movement. into the position shown in Fig. 3 engages the end 28 ot' the separator lever 25 and forces the same down out of engagement with the stop fingers 22 and into its normal position represented in Figs. 1, 4 and 6.

' From the above description, it will be seen. that the movable member a cannot be engaged with the contact member 12 so as to close the relatively high voltage circuit, be- .fore it has been moved a predetermined distance toward and preferably into engagement with the contact members 10 so as to close the low voltage circuit. Also it will be observed, that the low voltage circuit does. not remain closed, it the operator should fail to positively open the same, as in this case the low voltage circuit isautomatically opened by the spring actuated lever Y lar construction. shown.

I may prefer to employ a stop comprising two laterally movable nicmbers,-but I do not desire to limit the invention in this respect, as a single .mcn'iber may be usedwith its finger ot' suilicient width to be engaged by the blade a.

lVhilc it may be preferred to make the circuit controllcnas herein shown, it not desired to limit the invention to the particu The initiation herein shown may be em bodied in a switch of any desired number of poles, and the. stop can coiiperate with an one of the movable blades.

. Claims. 1. In a circuit controller, in combination, a. pivoted contact member, stationary contact members located on opgl ositesides of the pivot of said member andwith which said member cooperates, a stop interposed between the pivot for the-movable member and one set oi": said stationary contact members and comprising laterallymovable arms nor-- mally in the path of movement of said pivoted contact member, a lever cooperating with said movable arms to separate the same and permit said pivoted member to pass be,- tween' them and into engagement with one set of the stationary contact members, said lever being actuated by the pivoted menr her when moved into engagement with the second set of stationary contact members, and a spring actuated device cooperating wi.th said pivoted member to automatically disengage it from said second set of stationvarv contact members, substantially as described.

2. In a circuit controller, in combination,

tact members located. on opposite sidesof the pivot of said member and with which said member cooperates, a stop interposedbotween the pivot for themovable member and one-set of said stationary contact 1nembers and normally in the path of movement of said pivoted contact member, means actuated by movement of the pivoted contact member into engagement with the second set of contact members for moving said stop laterally to permit the pivoted contact memher to be engaged with the first mentioned set of contact members, substantially as described.

3. In a circuit controller, in'oombin-ation, a pivoted contact member, stationary contact members located on opposite sides of the pivot of said member and with which said member co'iperatcs, .a stop interposed between the pivot for the movable member and one set of said stationary contact memhers and normally in the path oi. movement of said pivoted contact member, means actuated by movement of the pivoted contact member into engagement with the second set of contact members for moving said stop laterally to permit e pivoted contact mema pivoted contact member, stationary 0011 tact members, an

ber to be engaged with the first mentioned set of contact members, and means for automatically disengaging said pivoted member from the second set of mntact members, substantially as described.

4. In a circuit controller, in con'ibination, two sets of contact members, a moyable member interposed between said contact members and cooperating therewith, a m0v able stop cooperating with said movable member to prevent the engagement of said movable member with one set of contact members until it has been engaged with the second set of said contact members, and means actuated by said movable member to move said stop out of the path of the movable member when the latter is moved in one direction to enga e the second set of conto hold said stop out of said path until released by the engagement of the movable member with said means, after the movable member has been moved a predetermined distance in the opposite direction toward the first-mentioned set of contact members.

5. In a circuit controller, in combination, two sets of contact members, a movable member interposed between said contact members and cooperating therewith, -,a movable stop cooperating with said movable member to prevent the engagement of said movable member with one set of contact members until it hasbeen engaged with the second set of said contact members, means actuated by said movable member to move said stop out of the path of the movable member, and hold it'out of said path until movable member from the, second set of contact members if said movable member is released by the operator after it has been engaged with said second set of contacts, substantially as described.

6. In a circuit controller, in combination, two sets of contact members, a movable member interposed between said contact members and cooperating therewith, a movable stop cooperating with said movable member to prevent the engagement of said movable member with one set of contact members until it has been moved a predetermined distance toward said second set ,of contacts, and means actuated by said movable member to move said stop out of the path of the movable member when the movable member has been moved a predetermined distance toward said second set of contact members, and to hold said stop out of said path until released by the movement of the movable member in the opposite direction toward the first-mentioned set of contact members.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KENNETH L. CURTIS.

Witnesses:

' J MURPHY,

JAs. H.'CHURCHILL. 

